El Xalet

Restaurante muito agradável com comida bem confeccionada.

The service was very good and friendly. Perfect for a large group of people who want to sit an drink/eat in peace. The prices were also extremely fair, which is not very common in this touristic region.

After having enjoyed several very satisfying and tasty a la carte dinners prior - especially a slam dunk, bulls-eye-authentic Indian Beef Curry - this year I chose to celebrate my latest edition of my 32nd birthday in Hotel Montane's Xalet Restaurant. I could not have been more pleased with how it went! All of it! That is the short version. If you want to know the long detailed version, kindly read on: After a lovely Cava at the bar, I arrived at a beautiful table, set with flowers, plenty of still water, baskets with a tasty selection of different breads and finally slate-stones with three different herb butters. Prior to the day, I had selected the menu from the Chef's ample list of inviting suggestions. The wines were selected by the Sommelier. The three starters were served "down the middle", so my guests could try all of them: 1) Fresh Cod Carpaccio with Caper-Olive Pesto, 2) House Green Vegetable Salad with Dijon-Honey Dressing 3) Hazelnut Crusted Crispy Fried Brie Cheese with Rocket Salad and Fruits of the Forest. These starters were served with a Mus Old Vines by Ordonez Rueda white wine. All the starters were very delicious, well-prepared and visually appealing to me. In fact, I found the Cod Carpaccio to be so perfectly balanced and tender that it basically toppled my prior No. 1 starter, a Stuffed Rabbit Loin with Herb gravy served in Doha, Qatar in 2011... So I am dinging the big gong here! Piling on, the wine could not have been a better selection. Perfect balance, fresh but mature voluminous fruity - not too dry and also not too flowery or perfumed, if that makes sense. My ONLY regret was that I was determined to avoid any episodes of slurred speech, so I couldn't drink very much of it! For the main course, I had selected these three options for us to choose from: 1) Pan Seared Beef Sirloin Steak with Green Peppercorn Sauce and Crispy Red Onion Rings and Chips 2) Fresh Salmon with Grilled Vegetable Brochette and Dill Beurre Blanc Sauce 3) Pan Roasted Duck Magret with Citrus Glaze and Sweet Potato 3 Ways These main courses were served with a Lealtanza Reserva La Familia Rioja 2012 red wine. Again these dishes were extraordinarily well-prepared and inviting to look at. I had the Duck Magret myself, and I also had a taste of the Salmon. Both were very delicious, the meat as well as the Brochette and Sweet Potato garniture. The feed-back I got from guests on the Beef Sirloin was absolute high praise as well. In my opinion, for these three fairly time-sensitive dishes, receiving this level of quality is by no means a given in many restaurants, even during regular dinner service with only 4 people at the table. For perspective, my birthday table had 26 guests for dinner, who should all receive a beautifully arranged and great tasting plate of warm food - not cold, not over-cooked, not under-cooked - and that is precisely what they got. And pretty much at the same time too. The Table Service staff moved around efficiently, yet seemingly effortlessly, so there was no tension or stress hanging in the air around the table. It was superbly executed all around. Oh and the red wine was simply outstanding. Full bodied, spicy but clean tasting KAPOW! It was one of the best Spanish wines, I have tasted - so once again the pledge against slurred speech came under attack.... For dessert, I had picked the Double Chocolate Sacher Torte with Raspberry Sorbet. As a surprise the Chef and Table Service staff turned off the lights and brought out a surprise cake with candles along with the song. It became one of my very best and I might add - most stress free - birthday ever! Thanks to the efforts of a great Chef and his well-organized kitchen, an expertly knowledgeable Sommelier and the highly professional Table Service staff - who all came together in absolute first class cooperation and coordination to make my birthday dinner party into such a memorable and thoroughly enjoyable event. So as you might have guessed, I would highly recommend Hotel Montane and the Xalet Restaurant to any lover of good food and wine regardless if you are a visitor on vacation, a local on staycation, or any other person, who like myself in this case, needed a lovely locality out of house to host a celebration with my friends.